Fireplace construction



April 24, 1934. H. NOLAN 3,956,246

FIREPLACE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Humphrq/Nalan g 1 ma.; f LV1-.- ATTORNEYS.

pr 24, 1934. H. NQLAN 1,956,246

FIREPLACE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fg@ 15'. Rg. 16.

I IN VEN TOR. lumplzrgfjVollz. BY

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES FIREPLACE CONSTRUCTION Humphrey Nolan, New York, N. Y., assignor to Fyr-Slyd-Screen, Inc., a corporation of New York Application October 25, 1932, Serial No. 639,408

17 Claims.

This invention relates to building constructions and particularly to screen or blower constructions for open replaces.

It is an object of the invention to provide an eiiicient and durable screen construction for open replaces which may be economically manufactured, installed and kept in repair.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a screen construction for an open replace in which the screen is slidable vertically to open or closed position, and when in closed position completely covers the re opening, and when in open position is concealed in a housing built into the structure above the re opening.

It is a further object to provide a slidable screen construction which may be readily moved to open or closed positions with the aid of any available pointed implement such as a poker, thus obviating the necessity of touching the screen with the hands oi the person operating the same.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a screen construction of the character described in which the housing for the slidable screen and weight runs are permanently incorporated in the structure of the fire-place and in which the slidable screen and all moving parts are so constructed and arranged as to be readily inserted in and removed from the housing and weight runs.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a screen construction of the character described which will afford complete protection from ilying sparks or displaced embers, and will also serve as a barrier against insects when the fireplace is not in use.

Other objects will appear romfthe description which follows.

Accordingly the invention consists in the combinations and sub-combinations of elements and in the constructions shown and described herein and defined in the sub-joined claims.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an open replace embodying the screen construction or" the invention; and showing the screen slightly raised from the hearth-the part to the left of the center line showing the invention with other structure cut away, and the part to the right of the center line showing a mantle and facing, with the general outline of the invention indicated by dotted lines. The entire invention is symmetricai about the center line.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper left hand corner of Fig. 1 and showing the counterweight for the screen, a cable or other flexible connection between the counterweight and the screen, and the sheave over which the cable passes. In this View is also shown in dotted lines the upper left hand corner of the screen and the cable when the screen is in raised position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line '7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. l.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 10--10 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 11--11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical section of the insulating baiie lintel located behind the lower part of the pocketing box, as shown in Fig. l, and which serves as a continuance of the splay of the throat of the replace, and also to protect the housing from the heat of the re.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of the guideways for the slidable screen and showing the formation of the contacting portions of the upper and lower screen guideways which permits the upper section to be readily connected and disconnected from the lower section. The upper portion is here shown raised to a position from which it may be moved horizontally for removal.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper left hand corner of the screen showing one of the upper guide bearings for the screen and the manner of its releasable connection with the screen, and also showing the connection between the cable and the screen.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged front elevation of the lower left hand corner of the screen and showing the detachable plate or part which serves as a guide bearing for the bottom of the screen.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of the detachable plate or part of the screen showing the handle for lowering the screen and the indentation or hole in the plate or part for raising the screen.

As conducive to a better understanding of this invention, it may be noted at this point that most types of fire screen heretofore used have been Wholly disconnected from the fireplace structure and required bodily movement to and from the fireplace opening. Such separate movable fire screens have many objections. They do not consistently close the entire re opening and therefore do not give complete protection from flying sparks. They may be easily upset by a rolling log or in other ways. They are difcult to handle, particularly when heated. rThey are unsightly and take up floor space.

A roll type of screen has been used in fireplace constructions to a limited extent. Such a screen has many objections. It requires a crank or lever to operate it and such operation is slow and awk ward. Such an operation is further objectionable because the crank or lever becomes too hot to be handled without gloves or other protective covering. The roll type of screen is also objectionable because the guides and roller box being exposed disfigured the fireplace. Such type of screen is also objectionable because the constant rolling weakens the screen fabric and causes its edges to become frayed and curled in the absence of guides, and whether or not guides are used the fabric hangs loose and soon becomes bulgy and uneven. The roll type screen must be flexible at all points in or-der to roll, and therefore precludes the attachment of rigid ornamental figures to the screen. Because of the usual openings at either side of the roll type screen, complete re protection is not attained.

Attempts have been made to incorporate a slidable fire screen as a part of a replace structure. Such attempts have not been commercially successful. Such prior types of built-in slidable fire screen constructions have been unsuccessful because they have been so thick in the dimension normal to the face of the fire opening as to force the throat of the fireplace back to a position where best draft conditions do not prevail. This same excess thickness made it diiiicult to build-in the device in the usual thickness of furring on the chimney breast. Such prior slidable screen constructions have been objectionable particularly because the screen, and the Weights, cables and pulleys for operating the screen could not be readily removed and replaced for purposes of repair or replacement unless the guides for the screen projected into the fire opening. Such a construction is not only detrimental to the appearance of the fireplace but reduces the effective size of the re opening. Applicants invention is intended to eliminate the objections hereinbefore specified, and to provide a re screen construction of the built-in type so constructed and arranged that the slidable screen and its weights, cables and pulleys may be quickly and readily inserted and removed, and in which the guides for the screen and the weight runs may be built into the fireplace structure so as not to extend into the re opening.

The invention consists generally of a rigid screen frame slidable vertically in guideways built into the fireplace structure at either side of the re opening and a housing also built into the fireplace structure above the fire opening to receive and conceal the frame when in raised position. The frame is provided with removable guide bearings at the top of the frame and a detachable plate at the bottom of the frame, which plate extends beyond the sides of the frame into the guideways an-d functions as a guide for the frame at the lower corners thereof. The top and bottom removable guide bearings permit a ready insertion of the frame into the guideways and a ready removal therefrom.

The screen is counterbalanced by weights operating in weight runs, to which weights it is attached by cables or other flexible connections running over sheaves. Screen, weights and sheaves operate in the same plane, the Weights being located on each side of the screen. The entire device isl built into the structure of the fireplace, but all mechanical parts are readily removable and replaceable and are held in place by gravity and without the aid of mechanical fastenings. Projections of various design are applied to the exterior housing and may be applied to the exterior of the weight runs, which projections may be pierced conveniently for attachment to the chimney structure on the inside and to the architectural finish on the outside and also serve to strengthen the housing.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the housing and weight runs for the slidable screen and its operating parts consist respectively of a pocketing-box built into the structure of the fireplace above the nre opening, and channel-shaped runways for the weights which extend from the top of and within the housing to the hearth of the fireplace at each side of the fire opening. The housing or pocketing-box and the weight runs are preferably built into the structure of the fireplace so that the bottom of the housing and the inner edges of the weight runs are ush respectively with the surfaces of the structure which bound the top and sides of the nre opening. The housing or pocketing-box is indicated generally in Fig. 1 by the reference character A, the weight runs by the reference character B, and the screen by the reference character C.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the housing may consist of a front plate 1 and a back plate 2, formed and permanently fastened at the top as shown in Fig. 8, and secured in spaced relationship to the front and back plates of the weight runs hereinafter described. The front and rear plates 1 and 2 of the housing are provided with projectiors 3 of various design pierced conveniently with holes to facilitate the incorporation of the housing within the structure of the fireplace. These projections 3 may be so arranged and designed as to strengthen the housing. Similar projections may be provided on the lower part of the Weight runs to serve a similar purpose. The housing is of sufficient height to conceal the screen completely when the screen is raised within it, and of suiiicient width to receive the screen and the weight runs with guideways for the screen and counterweights.

As best shown in Fig. 7, each weight run may consist of a front plate 4 and a back plate 5 formed and permanently fastened together to form a channel-shaped runway for a weight 6, and of sumcient depth to enclose in addition to such weight 6 a guideway for one side of the screen frame. The weight runs are spaced and held parallel to each other by the plates 1 and 2 of the housing to which they are permanently fastened. The open side of the channel-shaped weight runs faces the nre opening and when built into the structure of the replace ther' edges of the weight runs are preferably flush with the surface of the structure on each side of the re opening.

As best shown in Fig. 7, each guideway for the screen is channel-shaped, the open side being toward the re opening with the inner edges preferably flush with the edges of the channelshaped Weight run within which it is contained.

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Each guideway comprises a lower section 7 which is permanently fastened within the lower end of the weight run and an upper section 8 which extends nearly to the top of the weight run and which is removable from the weight run, and which when in place forms together with the lower section 7 a continuous unobstructed guideway from the top of the housing to the hearth of the replace. As best shown in Fig. 13, the lower end of the upper and removable section 8, and the upper end of the lower and fixed section 7, are provided with complementary deformations of such character as to hold said sections against relative horizontal movement when the complementary deformations of the ends of the sections are in engagement. The length of the removable upper section 8 of the guideway is less than the diagonal of the nre opening and more than the height of the housing, and, when raised as shown in Fig. 13 sufncientiy to be disengageable from the nxed section 7 of the guideway in the direction of the re opening but not in the direction away from the fire opening, its upper end will be in contact with the top of the housing within the weight run. When raised as shown in Fig. 13, the lower end of the upper and removable section 8 of the guideway may be moved horizontally out of the weight run and out of alignment with the lower and fixed section 7 of the guideway and removed through the fire opening.

As best shown in Figs. 4, and 8, there is permanently fastened to the upper end of the upper removable section 8 of each guideway a pair of parallel spaced plates 9 which form a block for a sheave 10 revolving on a trunnion l1 supported by the plates 9. The plates '9 also serve to contact with the back of the weight run and prevent the upper end of the upper removable section 8 of the guideway from falling out of alignment in a direction away from the fire opening. Section 8 is held from similar movement in the opposite direction by a pin 12 which is permanently fastened through and between the plates 1 and 2 of the housing. The plates 9, the sheave 10, the trunnion 11, and the upper removable section 8 of the guideway form together a removable part. Near the lower end of the upper removable section 8 of the guideway is provided a hole 13 into which any convenient small implement such as a pencil may be inserted to assist in removing the removable section 8 with its accompanying parts.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the weight 6 fits neatly and runs freely in each weight run and is permanently attached to one end of a cable 14. The cable 14 runs over the sheave 10 and is permanently attached, as best shown in Fig. 14, to a rod 15 at its center point. At one end of the rod 15 is a slot 16 which, before the screen has been installed, or when it has been removed for repairs or other reason, may be hooked into the hole 13 at the lower end of the upper removable section 8 of the guideway to resist the pull of the weight 6 and prevent the weight from falling to the bottom of the weight run. During the operation of installing the screen between the guideways, the rod 15 may be turned in a horizontal plane from its normal position so that it spans the opening of the housing, as shown in Fig. 10, and prevents the weight from falling to the bottom of the weight run.

As best shown completely in Fig. 1 and in its various details in Figs. 7, 10, 1l, 14, 15 and 16, the screen consists of a plane rigid frame formed by side frame members 1'7, a top member k18, and a bottom member 19. 'Within the frame thus formed is tautly stretched screening 20. .Permanently fastened to the top member 18 of the screen frame at each side is a. double hook 21 havin-g spaced ngers 22 and 23, and which serves to detachably connect the screen to the cable in the manner hereinafter described.

The screen frame is slightly wider than the ire opening, but lless in width than the combined width of the fire opening plus the depth of one of the guideways 7 8. The height of the screen is such that when it rests on the hearth and within the guideways 7-8 the double hooks 21 are exposed to View just below the top of the fire opening and are accessible for attachment of the cable 14 in the manner hereinafter described.

As best shown in Figs. l0 and 14, the cable 14 is detachably connected to the screen by placing the rod 15 under and within the ngers 22, .'23, with the cable between the fingers 22 and 23 to prevent the rod from moving horizontally with respect to the screen. The rod 15 is of such length that when so held it projects beyond'the side of the screen and nearly into the full depth of one of the channel guides 7-8 and forms a bearing for the screen at the upper corner of the screen frame. The other rod 15 serves asimilar purpose at the other upper corner of the screen frame.

As shown completely in Fig. l and in detail in Figs. '7, 1l, l5 and 16, a plate or part 24 yis detachably secured to the bottom member 19 of the screen frame by screws or in any otherV suit,-v able manner, and extends across the widthof the screen frame and nearly into the full depth'of the guideways 7-8 and forms a bearing for the screen at each of the lower corners as the screen slides vertically between the guideways;

As best shown in Figs. 11 and 16, the plate or part 24 is provided at its central point with ja handle 25 for lowering the screen out of the housing. The lhandle is shaped approximately as shown. The legs of the handle pass loosely through openings 25A provided in `the base of the plate or part 24, and the ends of the .legs are bent as shown so as to limit the free movement of the handle 25 with respect vto the plate and to prevent its detachment from theplate. When the screen is raised and the detachable plate or part 24 is lifted from the hearth lthe handle 25 hangs free, as shown in Fig-1. When the screen is lowered so that the detachable plate or part 24 is resting on the hearth the handle rises into the detachable plate or part, as shown in Fig. 16. The plate 24 is provided at its central point with an opening or depression-of any suitable design to provide a point of application for upward pressure to raise the screen from the hearth. f

To install the screen and the other removable parts'so that they may become operative within the housing and the weight runs which have been permanently incorporated in the structure of the replace, the cable 14 with the attached weight 6 is placed over the sheave 10 at the upper end of the upper removable section 8 of the guideway, and the slot 16 of the rod l5 at the end of the cable 14 is hooked into the hole 13 in upper guideway section 8. The section 8 of the guideway with the attached parts and the cable and weight is then inserted through the rire opening and raised within, the weight run until its upper end contacts with the top ofthe housing where it is held from horizontal move:

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ment as above described. The lower end is then brought to a position directly over and in alignment with the lower xed section 7 of the guideway as shown in Fig. 13, and then lowered into engagement with it. The above operation is then repeated to install a similar set of parts on the opposite side of the replace. The upper removable sections 8 of the guideways are then held in place with the aid of gravity.

The rod 15 is then released from the hole 13 and placed in a position spanning the opening of the housing, as shown in Fig. 10.

One side of the screen is then inserted into the full depth of one of the guidevvays 7 8 and the screen swung into the plane of the housing and moved Within that plane until it enters the guideways 7 8 on the opposite side of the nre opening and is centered on the lire opening. The screen is then lowered until it rests on the hearth of the replace. In this position the double hooks 21 are exposed below the housing. The cable 14 with the attached rods 15 are then inserted under the fingers 22, 23 as described above. The screen is then raised sufficiently so that the plate or part 24 may be inserted within the guideways '7-`-8. This may be accomplished by raising one end of plate 24 higher than the other end for insertion and then leveling the plate within the guideways. The plate or part 24 is then secured to the bottom of the frame of the screen. The height of the plate or part 24 is such that when it is in contact with the hearth, the upper frame member 18 of the screen frame is in substantial horizontal alignment with the bottom of the housing and the fire opening is completely closed.

To remove the screen and other removable parts the above operations are reversed. As heretofore pointed out, the screen frame is slightly wider than the re opening but less in Width than the Width of the re opening plus the depth of one of the channel guides. The height of the screen frame plus the height of the hook members 21 is less than the height of the fire opening. Thus when the plate 24 is removed and the screen frame is lowered to the hearth, the hooks 2l are accessible Vfor disengagement from the cables, and when the frame in this lowered position is shifted horizontally to the full depth of one of its guiding channels it will be free of the guiding channel on the other side of the re opening and may be readily removed from the re opening.

As shown completely in Fig. 2 and in detail in Fig. 12 an insulating baffle lintel may be secured behind the lower part of the housing and extending the full Width of the housing. This lintel may Yconsist of two plates 26 and 27 bent approximately as shown and held together at the bottom by screws or other fastenings 28 and at the top by straps 29. The plates may be separated from actual contact at the bottom by some insulating material 30. The insulating baie lintel may or may not be secured to the housing. lts purpose is to protect the housing from radiant heat from the re and also to reduce the width of the solicit of the fire opening and thereby assist in maintaining a proper draft condition in the fireplace.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that this invention provides a practical built-in fire screen construction in which all parts which are subject to wear or breakage may be readily removed and replaced without injury to the fireplace and without employing special tools or a skilled workman. The arrangement of the parts is such as to permit a minimum thickness lin the dimension normal to the face of the replace, the re screen, weights and pulleys operating in the same plane and the weights being formed to slide in narrow weight runs. While the entire device is built into the structure of the fireplace, all moving parts are readily removable and replaceable. The ribs or flanges on the housing and weight runs not only facilitate their attachment to the replace structure, but also serve to strengthen the housing. The detachable guide bearings at the four corners of the screen permit a ready insertion of the screen into the xed guideways and a ready removal therefrom.

While only one fire screen, with guides, pulleys and weights therefor is shown and described, it

will be understood that a second slidable screen with its guides, pulleys and Weights may be provided by increasing the depth of the housing and providing additional weight runs and parts. When two such frames are provided, one frame may carry a perforate material such as screening, and the other, imperforate material for increasing the draft on the fire.

While in the illustrative embodiment of the irivention the fire opening and the fire screen are rectangular in shape, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in iire openings of other shape. For example, the iire opening may have an arch-shaped head. For such a shaped opening the head of vthe nre screen may be similarly shaped. To facilitate removal of such a shaped screen from such a shaped opening, the screen frame may consist of two or more sections detachably connected by screws or other suitable means, so that each section may be separately removed from the channel guides.

1t will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the illustrative embodiment shown and described, as various modifications thereof .may be made without departing from the invention. lt will also be understood that all of the features of the invention need not be used conjointly as they may be used to advantage in various combinations and sub-combinations as deiined by the subjoined claims. While the invention has been described as applicable to fire screen constructions, certain features of the invention may be used to advantage in other constructions involving the use of frames slidable in guideways or pocketing boxes.

I claim:

l. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable screen frame, a housing for the screen frame built into the structure above the fire opening, weight runs built into the structure at either side of the re opening and extending from the hearth into and to the top of the housing, guides for the screen frame located within the weight runs, each guide consisting or" a lower section fixed in the weight run and terminating short of the housing, and a removable upper section adapted to be inserted within the weight run above the lower section and to be lowered into Contact with the upper end of the lower section, the height of the upper section being less than the diagonal of the nre opening, and the contacting ends of the sections having complementary deformations of such character as to prevent horizontal movement of the upper section when in contact with the lower section, a sheave rotatably supported adjacent the upper end of each upper section, a counterweight in each weight run, a flexible connection passing over each sheave and connected to a weight and secured at its other end to a rod at a point intermediate the ends of the rod, a hook member secured to and extending upwardly from the top of the screen frame adjacent each side thereof, each said hooking member having a pair of spaced hooking iingers adapted to hook over a rod to detachably connect the flexible connection and the screen frame, the flexible connection being located between the hooking lingers to. prevent relative movement between said ngers and the rod, the rod when in such hooking engagement extending beyond the side edge of the screen frame and into a screen guide to function as a guide bearing for the screen frame. and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom of the screen frame and extending across the bottom of the screen frame and beyond the lateral edges thereof and into the guides at; either side of the re opening to function as guide bearings for the screen frameadjacent its lower edges.

2. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing for the frame built into the structure above the re opening, weight runs built into the structure at either side of the iire opening and extending from the, hearth up into the housing, guides for the frame located within the weight runs, a sheave carried at the upper end of each guide, a counterweight in each weight run, a exible connection passing over each sheave and connecting a weight with the frame, a removable guide bearing detachably secured adjacent the top of the frame and extending into a guide, a removable guide bearing detachably secured adjacent the bottom of the frame and extending into a guide, the width of the frame being more than the width of the iire opening and less than the width of the re opening plus the depth of a guide, whereby the frame without its removable guide bearings may be inserted in the guides and secured to the guide bearings to prevent displacement of the frame from the guides, the guide bearing adjacent the bottom of the frame consisting of a plate detachably secured to the bottom of the frame and extending across the bottom of the frame and beyond each side edge thereof and functioning with the frame to ll the fire opening, the height of said plate being such that when secured to the bottom of the frame the combined height of the plate and the frame is not less than the height of the re opening.

3. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing for the frame built into the structure above the re opening, weight runs built into the structure at either side of the fire opening and extending from the hearth up into the housing, guides for the frame located adjacent the Weight runs, a sheave carried at the upper end of each guide, a counterweight in each weight run, a flexible connection passing over each sheave and connecting a weight with the frame, a removable guide bearing detachably secured adjacent the top of the frame and extending into a guide, a removable guide bearing detachably secured adjacent the bottom of the frame and extending into a guide, the Width of the frame being more than the width of the fire opening and less than the width of the lire opening plus the depth of a guide, whereby the frame without its removable guide bearings may be inserted in the guides and secured to the guide bearings to prevent displacement of the frame from the guides.

4. In combination with an open fireplace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing for the frame built into. the structure above the re opening, Weight runs built into the structure at either side oi the re opening and extending from. the hearth un into the housing, guides .for the frame, a sheave carried at the upper end of each guide. a eounterweight in each weight run, a exible connection passing over each sheave and connecting a weight with the frame, a removable guide bearing detachably secured adiacent the top of. the frame and extending into a guide, a removable guide bearing detachably secured adjacent the bottom of the frame and extending into a guide, the width of the frame being more than the width of the re opening and less than the width. of the fire opening plus the depth of a guide, whereby the frame Without its removable guide bearings may be inserted in the guides and secured to the guide bearings to D1fe-Y vent displacement of the frame from the guides, the guide bearings adjacent the top of the vfratrie also functioning to detachably connect the frame to the flexible connection.

5. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing for the frame incorporated in the structure above the re opening, guideways for the frame incorporated in the structure at either side of the fire opening and extending into the housing, the guideway at either side of. the opening consisting of a lower section and an upper removable section superimposed on the lower section in vertical alignment therewith, the contacting ends of the two sections being deformed to prevent horizontal relative movement therebetween, a sheave supported at the upper end of the upper section oi the guideway, a weight run located in the structure behind the guideway, a counterweight, a exible connection passing over the sheave and connecting the weight and the fire screen, the length of the upper section of the guideway being less than the diagonal of the re opening, whereby the upper section carrying the sheave, Weight and flexible connection may be lifted from engagement with the lower section and removed through the re opening.

6. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing for the frame built into the structure above the fire opening, weight runs built into the structure at either side of the ire opening and extending from the hearth to the top of the housing, guides for the frame, removable guide bearings detachably secured to the frame and extending laterally thereof into the guides, whereby the frame without its guide bearings may be inserted in the guides and the guide bearings then attached to prevent displacement of the frame from its guides.

'7. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable frame, detachable guide bearings extending laterally from the frame adjacent its top and bottom, a housing for the frame incorporated in the structure above the re opening, and guideways for the frame at either side of the re opening and extending into the housing; the frame being wider than the iire opening but narrower than the re opening plus the depth of one of the guideways, whereby the frame Without its guide bearings may be inserted in the guideways and the guide bearings then attached to prevent displacement of the frame from its guideways.

8. In combination with an open re place structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing built into the structure above the re opening, weight rims built into the structure at either side ofthe fire opening, channel guides for the frame, a counterweight, a cable connected to the counterweight, a sheave over which the cable passes, means to detachably connect the cable to the frame, said means extending into a channel guide and functioning as a guide bearing for the upper part of the frame, and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom of the frame and extending into the channel guides and functioning to partially close the fire opening and to guide the movement of the frame in the guides.

9. In combination with an open replace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing built into the structure above the re opening, weight runs built into the structure, channel guides for the frame, a counterweight, a cable connected to the counterweight, a sheave over which the cable passes, and means to detachably connect the cable to the frame, said means extending into a Channel guide and functioning as a guide bearing for the frame.

10. In combination with an open fireplace structure, a vertically slidable frame, a housing built into the structure above the fire opening, weight runs built into the structure, channel guides for the frame, a counterweight, a cable connecting the counterweight and the frame, a sheave over` which the cable passes, and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom of the frame and extending into the channel guides and functioning to partially close the fire opening and to guide the movement of the frame in the guides.

11. In combination with an open iireplaoe structure, a vertically slidable frame, guideways for the frame built into the structure at either side of the fire opening, and removable guide bearings detachably secured to the frame and extending into the guideways.

12. In combination with an open replace including a hearth, a vertically slidable screen construction comprising a frame for the screen, guideways for the frame to slide in, the lower frame member being provided with an indentation to receive a pointed implement for raising the screen and also provided with openings to receive the legs of a handle, and a handle slidably mounted in the openings of the lower frame member and adapted to hang downwardly from the lower frame member when the frame is in raised position to provide means for lowering the frame and adapted upon Contact with the hearth to move up into the lower frame member.

13. In combination with an open replace including a hearth, a vertically slidable screen'construction comprising a frame for the screen the lower member of which is provided with an opening to receive a handle, guideways for the frame to slide in, and a handle slidably mounted in the opening of the lower frame member and adapted to hang downwardly from the lower frame member when the frame is in raised position to provide means for lowering the frame and adapted upon contact with the hearth of the ireplace to move up into the lower frame member.

14. In an open fireplace structure having guideways for a slidable frame, the combination of a frame and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom of the frame and extending across the bottom of the frame and beyond the sides thereof and into the guideways.

15. In an open fireplace structure having guideways for a slidable frame, the combination I of a frame and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom of the frame and extending across the bottom of the frame and beyond the sides thereof and into the guideways; the height of the frame and the height of the plate being each less than the height of the iire opening.

16. In an open replaoe structure having guideways for a slidable frame, the combination of a frame and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom lof the frame and extending across the bottom of the frame and beyond the sides thereof and into the guideways; the combinred height of the frame and plate being at least as high as the height of the fire opening.

17. In an open fireplace structure having guideways for a slidable frame, the combination of a frame and a removable plate detachably secured to the bottom of the frame and extending across the bottoni of the frame and beyond the sides thereof and into the guideways; the height of the frame and the height of the plate being each less than the height of the iire opening, and the combined heights of the frame and plate being at least as high as the height of the lre opening.

HUMPHREY NOLAN. 

